For example, a bumper, which is an external component of an automobile, an instrument panel (dashboard), which is an interior component of an automobile, or the like have been molded synthetic resin (plastic) products. An injection molding machine is generally used to produce such synthetic resin molded products. An injection molding machine injects raw resin that has been thermally melted into a cavity provided between a pair of molds, and molds a synthetic resin product that has cooled and solidified.
Conventionally, production facilities that use such molds for injection molding machines are made so as to have a maintenance area of molds provided in a vicinity of a molding machine area in which injection molding machines are arranged, and the molds are adjusted in this maintenance area. Then, work is performed in a maintenance area in a state in which, among the fixed molds and moveable molds, the molds requiring maintenance have been turned up.
On the other hand, horizontal injection molding machines are arranged in a state in which the fixed mold and the moveable mold are in parallel; therefore, an operation to invert the molds has been necessary in a molding machine area and a maintenance area. In addition, the molds are moved between the maintenance area and the injection molding machine using a crane.
However, when the molds are conveyed by a crane between the maintenance area and the injection molding machine, it is necessary to assist with manpower such as in hook hoisting of the crane, and automating is difficult. Therefore, a production facility that also includes conveyance of molds in the molding machine area and is designed so as to make automation thereof possible has been published (e.g., refer to Patent Document 1).
The production facility according to Patent Document 1 includes a molding machine area and a maintenance area. The molding machine area has a stocker that stores molds, an injection molding machine, and a setup truck that is made to be drivable between the stocker and the injection molding machine, as well as having a placement surface of molds. Then, the molds are exchanged via the setup truck. The maintenance area is arranged to be adjacent to the molding machine area, and the molds are adjusted therein.
In addition, the production facility according to Patent Document 1 includes an inversion machine, a crane yard, and a transport truck. The inversion machine is arranged between the maintenance area and the setup truck, has two mold support surfaces that are substantially orthogonal, and inverts the molds by way of causing these mold support surfaces to completely rotate. Then, the inversion machine receives and offers molds without changing the attitude of the molds between the inversion machine and the setup truck.
The crane yard includes a crane for suspending and unloading molds for which adjustment is necessary in the maintenance area. The transport truck is arranged to be drivable in the maintenance area between the inversion machine and the crane yard, and has a mold placement surface on which molds are placed in a state in which an open space for a hoisting operation of the crane is available around on the entire lateral circumference of the molds. In addition, the transport truck receives and offers molds between the inversion machine, without changing the attitude of the molds.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. H6-15191